I do like the necklace and earrings but don't care much for the Kokoshnik Tiara. I think its a little too modern or Art Deco (?) for me.

I don't agree. I think the tiara looks very precious. Above all, it is very unique (so different from the usual fringe tiaras owned by most of royal families).
It is indeed very geometric (just like The Queen Mother's honeycomb tiara, for example) and looks wonderful when it is worn with other geometric design jewels. For example, The Queen wore it once with : her chandeliers earrings (given to her by her mother who had inherited them from Mrs. Greville), her three row collet necklace (present from her father), the Cullinan 3 & 4 brooch and her wide engagement present bracelet (from her husband).
But The Queen rarely tries to match her jewels...
The necklace would look better with a simpler tiara like the Hyderabad one. Wouldn't it ?

What about the Queen's wedding ring? I know it was made of diamonds from one of Prince Phillip's mother's tiara (I think that is right), but I have not been able to find a decent picture of the ring. Surely this will become a very important historic piece in the royal collection. Do you think it will be left to the crown jewels or to a family member? Also, what about Diana's ring? William got it right? Thanks if you can help.

The Queen's engagement ring was made from diamonds that had originally belonged to Philip's mother. Her wedding ring was made from a piece of Welsh gold (the same nugget provided the gold for the Queen Mother's wedding ring and also Diana's). AFAIK Diana's sapphire ring was left to William but someone else may be able to clarify.

I do like the necklace and earrings but don't care much for the Kokoshnik Tiara. I think its a little too modern or Art Deco (?) for me.

Hmm, kerry, I don't like the Kokoshnik Tiara in itself, but I must admit it makes a more stunning impression from a distance than other tiaras I like more.

For example, in this picture of Queen Alexandra with her mother Queen Luise of Denmark and daughter Princess Victoria, I like Princess Victoria's Fife tiara much better but the Kokoshnik on Alexandra really grabs your attention. From Victoria and Albert.

__________________"One thing we can do is make the choice to view the world in a healthy way. We can choose to see the world as safe with only moments of danger rather than seeing the world as dangerous with only moments of safety."

Here is another wonderful sunray necklace. The Queen seems to appreciate this kind of design ; it is very close from the two Saudi Arabia's necklaces (King Khalid's and Faical's ones) and from the girandole one presented in post 133.
The Queen looks really elegant with all her fringe (or sunray) necklaces, which she has quite a few...

Since The Queen usually wears the gifts she receives from various heads of state, it is likely the diamond necklace is a new gift from the City-State of Singapore that was presented to her during this official visit.

Has anyone ever seen the Queen wearing the tiara given to her by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia (on a state visit to Britain in 1967) which Suzy Menkes talks about ? I'm curious to see a picture of it (if it ever existed...).

The necklace is another sunray necklace which The Queen owns a few. The neckline of diamonds has a very close design from King Khalid of Saudi Arabia necklace (made by Harry Winston), from the necklace presented on the beginning of this page and from the necklace recently worn by Camilla.
That made me confused for a long time...
As someone said before, all these look like Arabian gulf oil monarchies' presents.

While I adore amethysts, and I give the above writer credit for a valiant effort the stones and whole thing should have been redesigned and the stones recut. QEII looks wonderful, of course, but with greater imagination one could have done something really striking. Witness the oriental circlet or the setting of the cambridge emeralds in the Princess Vladimir tiara. When faceted amethyst shows off to greater advantage as it is such a dark stone to begin with. It does work very well with gold-the purple and gold combination is quite impressive/ But the above idea does suggest possiblities. I think it is such a pity that that particular stone seems to be so ignored. When handled properly it can be very lovely indeed. But it is such a lovely idea to use the computer (?) and whatnot to create virtual tiaras. And they do not cost a dime, whereas the real things-well, the less said the better. Cheers. Thomas Parkman

I think amethysts are rather underrepresented among tiaras currently so I love seeing them in any form, be it real or virtual. I also think QE II can wear them beautifully with her white hair and fair skin. I wonder if there are any regrets in BP that this set "got away" :( because it's wonderful.

Thomas, I get the distinct impression you, in real life, must be a jewelry designer, you display such knowledge and vision when it comes to this topic. Therefore, and forgive me if it' s been asked before, but would you have a favorite among the british tiaras? If so, which one is it, and why?

You astonish and flatter me!! I am a retired academic who was trained as an historian and librarian. I worked at the University here for 28 years as a research and then as music librarian. History fascinates me. I just love all the pomp and circumstance and colour at which royalty are such past masters. It satisfies some deep atavistic part in all of us. These blasted republicans are such bores. Dull, glum and boring. Nothing like covering the iron hand of power with a glove of finest brocades and jewels say I.

As for my favorite British tiaras and why--Humm. Actually my two favorites are not British at all but that is another matter. Let us see. Do not groan too much Warren but the Fife tiara. It is set with free hanging diamonds which move when the wearer moves, creating a scintillating and sparking light. It is lovely. The portland diamond tiara for the same reason, with its huge diamonds even if it is a little dated. The Princess Validimir tiara because it is such an imaginative and lovely use of pearls and then with the cambridge emeralds the same thing. And finally I am somewhat ambivalent about the Cartier Indian tiara because it is so thick and heavy but still quite impressive, indeed rather massive. An imaginative use of diamonds, pearls with sapphire highlights.

You will notice that none of the above goodies are what one would call shrinking violets. They belong to the Queen Mary School. While she may have had her foibles she was quite a gal. And adored jewelry and wore it. Tons of it. Her clothes had to be fitted with extra support and fabric so she could wear all of the stuff. She wore everything-which would have included the kitchen sink, if it had been made of platinum with a few diamonds stuck around. I agree with her: if you got it, flaunt it-with taste and elegance of course. Of course she did overwhelm you.

She was noted for the amplitude of most royal bosom. She did, after all, have six children. That most royal appurtenance was of course bedecked with the wealth of the realm on all appropriate occasions. The British Navy- when she was queen-promptly dubbed the MRB Cartier's Counter. Leave it to a bunch of sailor. Cheers. Thomas Parkman

I have a question, from whom did the Queen inherit the Russian Kokoshnick Tiara, I know it belonged to Queen Alexandra, and then where did it go? Why not to one of Alexandra's daughters? Duchess of Fife or Queen Maud?

Queen Mary and Alix daughters went to Sandringham to "look after" the jewels. QM's part (for her husband, the queen mothers son) she took ALL jewels which where gifts from Edward VII at their wedding or later. THe Russian Kokoshnik was a present to their silver wedding aniversery.

QEII's grandmother was a formidible adversary when she set her sights on a treasure and went to some surprising lengths (and quite controversial tactics) to obtain what she wanted either for free, or well below market value.

A shrewd opportunist, Queen Mary got her hands on - through one method or another - many exquisite pieces of Russian imperial jewelery as well as objects d'art, antiques and other furnishings from her subjects :) ... which was a tremendous contribution to her descendants.